Headed to Hungary

I left Macedonia on Thursday, September 22 headed to Budapest for my brother John's wedding. John (number four in the Wager line-up) used to work for a large international law firm in Budapest and met his lady-love there over 2 years ago.

My flight went well, and I took an airport shuttle to my new sister-in-law's house and had wonderful welcome upon my arrival. It was outstanding to see my mom and dad, my brother and Brigitta. I hadn't seen my parents in almost exactly a year (I went home a year ago for my sister's wedding) and it was great to be with them again. Brigitta's parents were a riot, her mother was full of life and effervescence and her father has a dry wit I know I will enjoy in the future.

After dinner with Brigitta's family we went and had a beverage at a cafe near our apartment. When I woke up Thursday morning my water wasn't working in my apartment (as is frequently the case on Thursdays) so I am looking especially slick (greasy). Nice.

Pictured here (l to r: My mom, me, my dad, Brigitta and John).

We spent some time chit-chatting and catching up at thecafe and then headed back to our apartment. Our apartment. It needs description, but I want to keep my blog G-rated. John and Brigitta booked an apartment online for my parents and I to stay in because it would be less expensive than a hotel and that is the way he usually travels. It's a neat way to be a visitor, but also feel kind of integrated into the community. In an apartment you can sort of feel like you aren't a total foreigner, even though we are. Anyway, the apartment they booked on-line was NOT the apartment they ended up visiting and checking in to. It was spacious, but filled with crap. And I mean crap. Not like fecal matter, but like old Balkan-esque crappy antiques. If you're a PCV from Macedonia and you're reading this you know what I mean, doilies, figurines, ridiculous lights. But there were other interesting things in the apartment. Like Porn. Good God, there was so much porn all over the walls it was like a national lampoon's "My Son Is Marrying Someone From Another Country" movie. I won't go into detail, for that you can contact my brother, but I will say I felt bad for my parents. My mom mostly, but after a while I think we all just got used to ignoring it. I know John and Brigitta felt bad too, but now its just something at which we can laugh.